International manga smash Attack on Titan is now a live-action film that offers moviegoers a blend of traditional Japanese physical special effects and digital technology. The leader of this huge proj…

The House of Councillors has been criticized for being too powerful, undermining the policymaking efforts of the cabinet in a divided government and making Japan’s parliamentary democracy dysfunctiona…

In a report published on July 20, an independent committee of experts examining Toshiba’s fraudulent accounting determined that inappropriate accounting had been carried out based on management decisi…

Since returning to power in December 2012, Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzō has struggled to advance the so-called “third arrow” of Abenomics, which includes both structural reforms to transform the…

Enjoying a long soak in a warm bath is a much-loved practice in Japan. Traditional “sentō” (public bathhouses) as well as large commercial facilities feature a wide variety of amenities for bathers to…

Takahashi Katsuya was the last member of the murderous Aum Shinrikyō cult to face justice. The guilty verdict returned against him in April is a watershed in the legal proceedings that followed the cu…

Japan is struggling to recover from economic stagnation that has lasted for more than 20 years. This period of persistent deflation has been a new experience for Japan in its postwar history. As sugge…

The House of Councillors has been criticized for being too powerful, undermining the policymaking efforts of the cabinet in a divided government and making Japan’s parliamentary democracy dysfunctiona…

Since returning to power in December 2012, Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzō has struggled to advance the so-called “third arrow” of Abenomics, which includes both structural reforms to transform the…

Japan is struggling to recover from economic stagnation that has lasted for more than 20 years. This period of persistent deflation has been a new experience for Japan in its postwar history. As sugge…

A great public debate has erupted recently about the role of the media in Japan: the nation as a whole, more broadly, and specifically about the plight of the “embattled” Okinawan media. In fact, thou…

The deputy chief of Komeito, the LDP’s partner in the ruling coalition, argues that in today’s world it is not possible to seek peace for Japan alone. Kitagawa Kazuo explains that limited exercise of …

The Japanese high court has recently taken a strong stance on the need to rectify geographical disparities in the “value of a vote,” not only in the House of Representatives but also in the House of C…

The euro, a symbol of European integration, is facing the greatest crisis since its launch in 1999. In a referendum held on July 5, a majority of Greeks voted against the austerity demanded by the Eur…

Prime Minister Abe Shinzō’s speech to a joint session of Congress during his recent US visit was well received, not least due to his expressions of remorse for World War II with reference to battles i…

Japan’s national defense policy has evolved as a cumulative response to world events since the end of the Cold War. It has gained new aspects through a series of conflicts, crises, and terrorist acts,…

Nagashima Akihisa, an expert on security issues from the Democratic Party of Japan, explains that while the top opposition party cannot go along with the security legislation proposed by the Abe admin…

A passenger commits suicide by setting himself on fire on the Shinkansen, the Japan Pension Service suffers a massive data leak, and Japan and South Korea mark 50 years since the normalization of dipl…

The House of Councillors, Japan’s parliamentary upper house, was once seen as a mere rubber-stamping body. But since 1989 it has been a stronghold for whatever parties are out of power, and as such ha…

Onagawa has recovered relatively quickly from the 2011 tsunami, despite being one of the hardest-hit communities. Journalist Kikuchi Masanori returns to the town to interview Mayor Suda Yoshiaki for t…

In a report published on July 20, an independent committee of experts examining Toshiba’s fraudulent accounting determined that inappropriate accounting had been carried out based on management decisi…

Since returning to power in December 2012, Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzō has struggled to advance the so-called “third arrow” of Abenomics, which includes both structural reforms to transform the…

Japan is struggling to recover from economic stagnation that has lasted for more than 20 years. This period of persistent deflation has been a new experience for Japan in its postwar history. As sugge…

So-called “Galapagos” snacks developed to fit local Japanese tastes are now attracting hungry fans worldwide. Manufacturers are finding success abroad by changing flavors and sales promotion strategie…

The toy business in Japan is on the upturn. Japanese consumers’ purchases of toys stagnated for most of the past 10 years as the nation’s population of children shrank. But the market expanded 9% to ¥…

The euro, a symbol of European integration, is facing the greatest crisis since its launch in 1999. In a referendum held on July 5, a majority of Greeks voted against the austerity demanded by the Eur…

A passenger commits suicide by setting himself on fire on the Shinkansen, the Japan Pension Service suffers a massive data leak, and Japan and South Korea mark 50 years since the normalization of dipl…

The 2015 Japan Expo will be held in Paris from July 2 to 5. The annual event has become a gathering spot for cosplayers and other young fans of Japanese pop culture from around Europe. Despite this in…

Finding a “cup of joe” in Japan has never been easier—from the ubiquitous Starbucks to fresh coffee for ¥100 at convenience stores. Here we take a look at recent coffee trends, including some unique m…

The United Arab Emirates has become a magnet for Japanese corporate investment in the Middle East and North Africa. Joining the growing community of Japanese trading houses, banks, brokers, and manufa…

This spring an international event devoted to state-of-the-art maritime defense technologies and equipment was held for the first time in Japan. MAST (Marine Systems and Technology) Asia 2015, a three…

Though it decided not to become a founding member of the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Japan, as a responsible major country, should consider joining the new institution to foster …

A passenger commits suicide by setting himself on fire on the Shinkansen, the Japan Pension Service suffers a massive data leak, and Japan and South Korea mark 50 years since the normalization of dipl…

The volcano Shindake erupts on the southern island of Kuchinoerabujima, a plan to reform local government in Osaka is defeated, and debate over new security legislation begins in the Diet. These are t…

Prime Minister Abe addresses the US Congress, the imperial couple visits World War II monuments in Palau, and a Japanese maglev train breaks the world speed record. These are the key Japanese news sto…

By denying the existence of risk, the myth of absolute safety, associated particularly with the nuclear power industry, has hampered much-needed improvements in crisis management. Yet over the years b…

Mobile gaming is one of the few bright spots in Japan’s IT sphere. One of the bigger―and certainly the most adorable―hits to appear this year is Nekoatsume. The title, which can be loosely translated …

Japan is famed for its crowded cities, but much of the country is mountainous territory covered with thick stands of trees. While greenery is always welcome in a landscape, one common type of tree com…

With zero emissions, hydrogen has long been regarded as a highly promising green fuel. But difficulties in transporting and storing this highly volatile gas, along with slow development of the necessa…

The nation remembers the Great East Japan Earthquake, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Tokyo, and the Hokuriku Shinkansen service goes into operation. These are the major Japanese stories of Mar…

March 11, 2015, marked the fourth anniversary of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The government and the plant’s operator are focusing on removing radioactive substances, h…

Winter is the season of university entrance exams in Japan. It is a time of trepidation not only for the students but also for the universities, which today face the problem of population decline. The…

The Japanese word origami has long been part of the global lexicon, and this traditional paper-folding craft is now being applied to new uses in fields ranging from outer space to inside the human bod…

Prime Minister Abe Shinzō responds to the execution of Gotō Kenji by the Islamic State, Javier Aguirre is fired as national coach of the men’s soccer team, and Nishikawa Kōya resigns as agriculture mi…

Professor Amano Hiroshi, one of the three winners of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes, spoke to a packed audience at the Foreign Press Center/J…

Prime Minister Abe Shinzō visits the Middle East, mourners mark the twentieth anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and the extremist group Islamic State kills two Japanese hostages. Thes…

Enjoying a long soak in a warm bath is a much-loved practice in Japan. Traditional “sentō” (public bathhouses) as well as large commercial facilities feature a wide variety of amenities for bathers to…

Takahashi Katsuya was the last member of the murderous Aum Shinrikyō cult to face justice. The guilty verdict returned against him in April is a watershed in the legal proceedings that followed the cu…

Ramen has gone global, with more and more shops opening up worldwide in the twenty-first century just as they spread rapidly throughout Japan in the twentieth. Yet the upstart noodle dish’s place with…

Gift giving (zōtō) is a long established tradition with many forms, such as expressing appreciation and giving encouragement. As an important part of Japan’s system of social exchange, the seasonally …

Prime Minister Abe Shinzō’s speech to a joint session of Congress during his recent US visit was well received, not least due to his expressions of remorse for World War II with reference to battles i…

In March 2015, Japanese sprint hopeful Kiryū Yoshihide of Tōyō University clocked an extraordinary—albeit wind-aided—9.87 seconds in the men’s 100 meters. Hopes are high for Kiryū to achieve Japan’s f…

International manga smash Attack on Titan is now a live-action film that offers moviegoers a blend of traditional Japanese physical special effects and digital technology. The leader of this huge proj…

Enjoying a long soak in a warm bath is a much-loved practice in Japan. Traditional “sentō” (public bathhouses) as well as large commercial facilities feature a wide variety of amenities for bathers to…

Ramen has gone global, with more and more shops opening up worldwide in the twenty-first century just as they spread rapidly throughout Japan in the twentieth. Yet the upstart noodle dish’s place with…

So-called “Galapagos” snacks developed to fit local Japanese tastes are now attracting hungry fans worldwide. Manufacturers are finding success abroad by changing flavors and sales promotion strategie…

The Hokuriku Shinkansen service, which went into operation in March, has made it easier than ever to access tourist destinations in Toyama and Ishikawa Prefectures. The Ishikawa capital of Kanazawa, i…

Today art from Japan has worldwide cultural impact and is a familiar part of the global artistic scene. Up through the early modern era, though, Japanese art was a bolt from the blue—something entirel…

Gift giving (zōtō) is a long established tradition with many forms, such as expressing appreciation and giving encouragement. As an important part of Japan’s system of social exchange, the seasonally …

The onigiri (rice ball) is one of Japanese cuisine’s oldest traditions. But a new interpretation known as onigirazu is remaking the image of the centuries-old staple snack and garnering an increasing …

A passenger commits suicide by setting himself on fire on the Shinkansen, the Japan Pension Service suffers a massive data leak, and Japan and South Korea mark 50 years since the normalization of dipl…

Enjoying a coffee break in Japan does not require a trip to a café, but can be done easily and inexpensively by purchasing a can of coffee. A wide selection of flavors and styles of this popular drink…

In his witty article “The Name on My Coffee Cup,” published in the New Yorker, Saïd Sayrafiezadeh describes how his name is systematically misspelled when ordering coffee at American Starbucks—“Zal,” …

Finding a “cup of joe” in Japan has never been easier—from the ubiquitous Starbucks to fresh coffee for ¥100 at convenience stores. Here we take a look at recent coffee trends, including some unique m…

Japan’s electronic toilets transform a normal trip to the restroom into a high-tech cultural experience by combining cutting edge technology with a Japanese sense of cleanliness. A wide variety of mod…

The volcano Shindake erupts on the southern island of Kuchinoerabujima, a plan to reform local government in Osaka is defeated, and debate over new security legislation begins in the Diet. These are t…

A new ordinance in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward recognizing same-sex partnerships has drawn headlines around the world and started wider discussion of LGBT issues within Japan. Sociologist Sechiyama Kaku exam…

Over 1,700 children were orphaned by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Sustained efforts to lend them a sympathetic ear, along with support from the community and society, will be crucial in heal…

Prime Minister Abe addresses the US Congress, the imperial couple visits World War II monuments in Palau, and a Japanese maglev train breaks the world speed record. These are the key Japanese news sto…